


600 Miles Apart but Getting Closer

by PeterStark



Series: Marked by Fate [6]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Adorable Barry Allen, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Implied Sexual Content, Kissing, M/M, Protective Oliver Queen, Protective Thea Queen, Sharing Emotions, Shovel Talk, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:46:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26323612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PeterStark/pseuds/PeterStark
Summary: Barry didn't want the talk from Joe or Thea, but he got both.Oliver didn't want the talk from Barry, but he got that too.
Relationships: Barry Allen/Oliver Queen, Oliver Queen & Thea Queen
Series: Marked by Fate [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1564228
Comments: 8
Kudos: 186





	600 Miles Apart but Getting Closer

**Author's Note:**

> They're getting closer in all senses...which sucks because I totally want to write about The Climb next time. :') Anyways, the happy times are off screen this time. I considered trying it, but it came off way to intimate and personal and I felt like I was violating their relationship so...ya'll imagine it.  
> I own nothing.

They made time for each other as best as possible. They lived a few hundred miles apart, plus the whole emotional distance wall Oliver put up. It was a tentative thing. They hadn't named it, but it was an awful lot like partners, boyfriends, not that they said it aloud. But they did a lot of cuddling and watched movies and talked about their problems and family...plus they worked together on occasion. Then there was the kissing and occasional hugging. They hadn't named it, but Barry was pretty sure they were...a thing.

Most people didn't run six hundred miles several times a week for their SOs, but that was nothing to Barry. He slipped on a new pair of shoes in his living room.

"Heading out again, kid?" Joe asked.

"Oh, um, yeah." He nodded. "Might be out late."

"This have to do with that scarf you never take off?" Joe asked, nodding to Barry's neck. "You ever going to tell me who gave you a Mark? Or even let me see it?"

"Um...it's...awkward." Barry said.

"But, not even a name?"

"Ah...it's still, new."

"Right." Joe frowned. "You don't have too much fun, okay? Stay safe and all that."

Barry's nose wrinkled and he was so happy that he could run away from these conversations. He ran to Oliver's apartment and knocked on the door. A short brown-haired girl answered the door. One who looked just like Thea Queen, probably because it was Thea Queen.

"Hello? Who are you?"

"Hi, uh, Thea, right?"

"Yeah." She nodded, her voice a little cautious. "What can I do for you?"

"Oh, I'm here to see Ollie."

"Ollie, huh?" She asked, opening the door a little wider and folding her arms over her chest. "You know, not many people are really allowed to call him Ollie, so how do you know my brother?"

"Um, we're um...sort of seeing each other." There was no name for it really, aside from the obvious 'soulmate' thing, but Barry didn't know if Thea knew about that so he kept his mouth shut.

"Hmm." She quirked an eyebrow in a way that had to be a Queen thing. "Come on in. Ollie isn't home yet. Want something to drink?"

Having run six hundred miles, that sounded fantastic. "Uh, yeah, thanks. Water would be nice."

"Come on in." She let him past her. "Make yourself at home." She gestured to the couch. "You haven't told me your name." She said as she walked to the kitchen.

"Barry, Barry Allen."

"Oh, you're the infamous Barry."

"Oliver told you about me?" Barry couldn't help but feel pleased. That meant a lot. Thea was Oliver's favorite person. Like, his all time favorite person. To even get mentioned to Thea felt like a win.

Thea shrugged and walked to the living room, offering him a glass of ice water. "Ollie is a bit of a lockbox, but your name's come up a time or two. He's been more distant than normal since Mom... But recently he's been happier. Have anything to do with you?"

"I'd be honored if it did."

Her eyes narrowed in a way that was so Oliver that it made Barry a little uncomfortable. "Have we met before? I think I've seen you." Thea mentioned.

"Sort of. I went to a benefit once at your house. I was working a case here and my friend Felicity invited me." Barry said. It wasn't a lie, but not the full truth.

"A case? Are you a police officer or something?"

"Me? No."

"Good, because I was about to laugh at the irony." She snorted.

Barry laughed too, probably not for the same reasons as Thea. "I'm a CSI. We had a similar case back in Central City where I works so, they sent me to see if I could find any leads."

"Huh. You came here from Central? You must have been driving for hours. I should have offered a snack or something." Thea stood up.

"No, I'm fine, honest."

"Six hundred miles, Barry. That's not fine. Where's my hospitality? Here I am trying to give the sisterly shovel talk and you're probably starving and tired from driving. It's uneven ground. I totally need you alert for when I threaten to kick your ass if you hurt my brother." She said it with a twinkle in her eye and a joke in her tone, but there was something about her posture that said she very much wasn't joking. "I'll get you something."

She walked back to the kitchen and Barry let out a breath. The door opened.

"Hey, Barr. Sorry, I'm late. Got a bit...caught up. Long story." Oliver walked forward and leaned over the couch kissing Barry's temple. "Sorry about that."

"It's okay." Barry promised.

"How'd you get in?" Oliver asked curiously, though he didn't seem too upset.

"He knocked, like a person with manners." Thea said.

Oliver jumped and looked at his sister. "Oh, I thought you were going out tonight."

"It's not late enough to be considered 'going out' yet." She smirked. "I've just been chatting with your boyfriend here. Threatening to hang him off the balcony if he decides to be an ass. Right, Barry?"

"She was getting around to it, definitely. We were going through the interrogation phase first. The life-threatening was the next logical leap." Barry nodded, surprised that Oliver hadn't corrected her on the 'boyfriend' thing.

Oliver snorted. "I think you can relax, Speedy."

Thea smiled. "I'm the sister. I say when to relax...but he seems nice enough. You can keep him around for now. But I'm watching you." She walked out of the kitchen and held out a plate with a sandwich on it.

"You're threating him with peanut butter and jelly? My hero." Oliver snarked dryly.

"Maybe he's allergic to peanuts." Thea stuck her tongue out at Oliver and shoved him with her free hand.

Barry laughed. "Sorry, it's just, you two are sweet. Reminds me of me and my sister, acted the same way when Iris brought home Eddie for the first time. Thank you, Thea." He added as he took the plate.

"Why were you making him food?"

"He's from Central City, that's a long way to drive. If I was going to have to kill him, I'd at least offer a last meal. It's the humane thing to do." She teased and kissed her brother's cheek. "Just looking out for you."

"Well thanks, plus he's a bottomless pit, I'm sure he's grateful." Oliver said with a fond smile. "He eats more food than I do."

"I doubt it." Thea said.

"No, it's true. I eat way more than him."

"You're a twig."

"I... I'm pretty active." Barry shrugged, feeling awkward.

Thea nodded along skeptically. "Well, if you two decide to be active, please make sure it's while I'm out."

Barry's face burned as he blushed.

"Or have the decency to go to his bedroom and SHUT the door." She glared at her brother.

"That was one time, almost a decade ago, Speedy." Oliver poked her shoulder.

"Still scarred for life, thank you very much." Thea snarked back. "Guess I'll head out early. Barry, nice to meet you, we'll finish the interrogation and threatening at another time. Oliver, you and I will be talking about this, don't think we won't." She poked his nose. "Bye fellas."

Barry barely recovered. "Bye, Thea, great to meet you. Looking forward to the threatening. And thanks for the sandwich."

"Stay safe out there, Thea."

"Mm-hm." Thea waved and grabbed her purse on her way out.

"She's nice."

"She is." Oliver smiled fondly. "Shall I order pizza?"

"Yes, please." Barry said. He speed-ate the sandwich, which was delicious, but he had run six hundred miles. "I can pick it up."

"No, relax, Barr. I got it. Wait, can you hold out for delivery or are you like, super hungry?"

"Delivery's fine, thanks."

"Alright, settle in, I'll be right back. Really sorry again about being late, bank robbery."

"It's fine. I wasn't here long."

-

Barry leaned against Oliver's side when Oliver wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "So...Thea doesn't know about the Mark, huh?"

"Nope." Oliver said. "It's not...anything to do with you. I had a heard enough time dealing with the emotional whirlwind, didn't want to deal with her freaking out at the same time. She and her soulmate...have had it a bit rough. They have about as weird a first meeting as we do. He stole her purse."

Barry chuckled. "That's great. Terrible, but you know, funny."

"Needed time to deal on my own, is all. If she didn't realize it tonight, I'd be surprised." Oliver shrugged.

Barry fiddled with his scarf. "I haven't told my family. I mean, they know I have a Mark. They haven't seen the mark. I mean, the guys at STAR have, but my family hasn't, not to my knowledge. It's kind of easier to adjust if you don't also have to adjust family too. Besides, I think my dad might want to kill you sometimes."

Oliver shrugged. "He'd have his reasons. Haven't always been a hero."

"You're being a grump." Barry pointed out. He always tried to point it out when Oliver got self-hatred-y.

"Sorry."

"Iris would probably still gawk at you though."

Oliver laughed. "Great."

"You didn't tell Thea I wasn't your boyfriend." Barry broached after a moment of silence.

"Why would I?" Oliver asked, his voice confused.

Barry lifted his head and raised an eyebrow at Oliver.

Oliver frowned. "Was that not clear to you? Shit, I'm awful at this. I'm sorry, Barr."

"It's not on you...we didn't really discuss it."

"It doesn't matter, I'm not great at this communication thing." He started shifting away.

Barry didn't need to touch the Mark on Oliver's wrist. He knew by the look on Oliver's face that he was mentally scolding himself. Barry frowned and reached up, pulling the scarf off his neck. "Give me your hand."

Oliver could play professional poker for a living. Because his face lost any speck of emotion as he looked at Barry. "No. Why?"

"Because you have a hard time listening, so showing may be a better medium. Give me your hand."

Oliver extracted himself. "I'd...rather not. I don't exactly have the best track record with...not breaking necks. I'd rather keep yours in one piece, thanks."

"Oliver Queen, I can literally be on the other side of town before you could squeeze. Don't act like I'm defenseless. I seem to recall that I've kicked your ass a couple times in training now. So, no excuses. Because I know that's a load of bullshit. You aren't afraid of hurting me, you're afraid of what I might feel or think of you. Don't."

"Barry..." Oliver shifted, looking like he'd been found out, cornered.

"Hand." Barry asked gently, offering his own.

It took a moment, but Oliver put his hand in Barry's.

Slowly, Barry pulled Oliver's hand closer, until the calloused hand was wrapped around his throat, covering the Mark there. Barry wasn't afraid, not even a little as he let go of Oliver and looked at the archer, waiting.

One moment at a time, emotions crossed Oliver's face. Caution. Fear. Confusion. Conflict. Hope. Awe. Then something Barry never saw before. Oliver's eyes lifted and met his, wide with something unidentifiable. "Barry?"

"See? Nothing to be afraid of. Those things you think, they're only things you think about yourself. Don't worry, I'll get you there, someday." Barry smiled. He reached forward and pulled Oliver into a kiss.

Oliver returned the kiss, and his hand shifted on Barry's throat. He cradled the back of Barry's neck, his thumb still touching the edge of the Mark.

Barry tentatively gripped Oliver's forearm, a silent question that Oliver seemed to understand, because Oliver twisted his arm slightly. An offering. Oliver, though not always open about it, seemed to understand that he didn't articulate well. In times like this, he usually let his emotions do the talking. They parted for a breath as Barry's hand found Oliver's Mark.

Hope. Trust. Awe. Disbelief. They all poured out of Oliver. Along with happiness, lust, and... Was that last one what Barry thought it was? Love? Was that what that was?

Barry took a breath and opened his eyes. He looked into Oliver's blue eyes and smiled.

"Barry, I'm not good at this."

"No one really is. We'll wing it."

Oliver chuckled. "Fair enough." He pulled Barry forward into a kiss.

The kisses grew deeper, more passionate. It was like passing emotions back and forth. The desire seemed to be growing with each passing moment. Their hands slipped from each other's Marks, looking for more warm flesh to touch.

"Upstairs?" Oliver asked between kisses, his voice low, breathless.

"Yes."

-

Oliver was pretty sure he felt a warm, wet cloth over his skin, but it was gone before he could be sure, and then the bed dipped as Barry rejoined him. "How can you still move?" Five times. Five. Oliver knew if he'd cum five times he wouldn't be able to see straight, let alone run around. What the hell kind of lightning bolt struck Barry anyway? It was pretty amazing, the speedster didn't even have a refractory period. Nope.

Barry chuckled. "Don't know."

Oliver smiled and reached out, pulling the speedster toward him. He lean, fit build fit perfectly against him. "You okay?"

"Bit better than that." Barry breathed against his chest.

Oliver felt the ghost of lips against his collar bone and closed his eyes. "Good. You have work tomorrow?"

"Yeah." There was a sad note in Barry's voice.

"Okay. Don't blame me if you're late. I'll make sure you get up though."

Barry went rigid for a moment, then relaxed. 

Had Barry thought he couldn't stay? Oliver frowned. But then realized they hadn't really done this before and usually Barry did run home, never staying over for longer than a few hours, even if he did take a small nap.

"My own personal alarm clock? What did I do to deserve that?" Barry asked.

"Nothing, I just have a habit of waking up early." Oliver snorted and pulled Barry closer. "Get some rest."

"Mm." Barry sighed, snuggling in. "Good night, Ollie. Love you."

Oliver opened his mouth, but couldn't make his voice work. He shifted his arm instead so his Mark pressed to Barry's bare back. He felt Barry's lips pull into a smile, then press against his chest again. "Good night, Barr."

There weren't many people Oliver felt comfortable or safe relaxing around. Turns out he fell asleep faster than he ever had before with the speedster in his arms.

**Author's Note:**

> Take care.


End file.
